Heat shield



Uflited StateS Patent 3,407,11o HEAT SHIELD John s. AxeSon, Loviffovvn, and co1vin M. 1)o1an, 1(1ng of 1 fllssia, 1 a., assignofs fo (enef3111ecfffo cofnpany, 3 oofpofafion of Nevv Yofk EHed Nov. 25, 1004, sef. No. 413,001 7 c1aims. (CL 10108) ABSTRACT of fHB DISCLoSURE A f1exible ablating heat shield, con1pfiSing a diScon tinI1ous, heat-feSistant, honeycoInb ITlatfix fi11ed With a f1eXible ab1ation matefiaL is pfoduced by (1) making cntS in at leaSt two of the cen vvanS of each of the honeycoInb cells of the honeycomb sheet to a depth leSS than the thicknesS of the honeycoInb ce11S bllt gfeatef than the thickneSS of tho deSifed heat Shield, (Z) 1illing the ce11S of the honeycoInb With a f1exib1e ablafion Inatefia1, SI1ch aS an elastoInefic silicone, and (3) Slicing the HHed honey cofnb pefpendiculaf to the ce11 Wa11s fo fefnove that layef of the honeycon1b not out in Step (1) above.

ThiS invention fe1ates to ifnpfoved ablation type heat shieldS and the method of fabficating them.

1ZehicleS n1oving at high velocitieS thfough the afInos phefe of the eafth of anothef p1anet expefience aefody naInic heafing. ThiS heafing is Sevofe enongh to deStfoy such a vehic1e un1ess sonle type of pfofecfion is pfovided. A common pfofective device iS a heat shield which undef goes ab1ation vvhen heated.

The comp1ex SUfface conHgufationS of soIne vehic1eS Inake it dif1c111f to fabficate and apply the figid heat shields pfeSently uSed.

cuffenny some heat shields afe being fabficated by uS- ing a honeycoInb to feinfoTce the ablation fflatefiaL In one appfoach, the honeycoInb is bonded fo the sffllct11fe and each cen individuany fiHed with ab1ation matefiaL (:ufing and post cufing afe peffofIned, the lattef af a high tenpefatufe vvhich can be detfiInenta1. The Shield is then fayed and thoSe ce11S foond to have voidS afe cleaned ont and fenlled- 1n addition to the tedions fnanufactofe of Such a shield, the peffofnlance iS not complete1y SatiS- factofy- Dufing test and in acfua1 ight, the vehicle stfuc tUfe and the Shie1d bonded to if afe expoSed to tempefa tufeS betvveen Z50 1 Since the coeHicients of thefnla1 expansion of the heat Shield and the stfoctufe it pfotecfS di1fef, cfackS not in ffequently develop in the shield dufing thefnla1 cyc1ing. ThiS pfoblem is especia11y acufe in 1ow tempefatufe testing. In Soch a honeycon1b feinfofced Shield, the honey con]b itSe1f, fathof than the ab1ation Inafefia1, contfo1S the expansion and contfaction of the shield. Since the honeyconlb haS diffefent coenfcients of fhefn1a1 expan Sion in itS tvvo pfiInafy difectionS, the pfoblen1 is con1 poonded.

1t iS, thefefofe, an obiecf of thiS invenfion fo fovide a heaf Shie1d Which can be eaSi1y ap11ied to cofnpleX Suf faceS.

It is a1so an obiect of thiS invention fo pfovide a heat shield in Which the pfoblem of cfacking of othef fanufe due to diffefing coeicientS of expansion of shield and vehic1e Stfuctufe is e1in1inafed ovef a vvide fange of ten1 pefafofes.

In a pfefeffed fofII1 of invontion, a Silicone elasfofnefic Inatefia1 Which iS f1exible is ufi1ized as an ablation Inafefia1. 1esistanco to aefodynaInic sheef iS pfovided by con 3,407,1 10 Pafenfed ()cf, 22, 1968 tfo11ed ofientation feinfofceInent in fhe foffn of a diScon tinnous honeycomb fnatfix.

The shfeld is fabficated by Selecfing a sheet of pheno1ic honeycoInb Which is pfepafed fof 11Se by cufting the ce11 vvanS a poffion of the Way thfough, 1eaving a Su0cient pof tion of the WallS intact to IfaiI1tain the honeyconTb in one piece.

A Silicone e1astoInefic fofInulation is then fnixed and uSed to HH the honeycoInb ce11s. cufing of the fofInulation iS acconlp1ished at afI1bient of a slightly elevated tefflpefa tl1fe such aS 120 F. 1xcesS fofIn111afion is fen1oved ffom the side of the honeycoInb sheet if1 Which cuts Wefe nlade. The honeycon1b is then S1iced pefpendiculaf to the ce11 Vva11S to fen1ove that 1ayef of the honeycon1b Which vvas not cut. The layef which feInains is, thefefofe, held to gethef on1y by the cufed foffnulation and iS 11exible due to the elaStio nafI1fe of thiS Inatefia1, A post cofe at a 11ighef tenlpefatufe, Say np to about 300 F., iS then of fof n1ed to inSLlfe diInensional Stabi1ity.

The f1exible layef of b1anket of diScontinuous honeycon1b feinfofced e1aStoInefic f1atefia1 iS then cut to con fofn1 to the Shapo of the Sffl1ctflfe it iS fo pfotect. 1f iS Secufed to the stfuctufe by a bond of Si1icone elastoInefic nlatefial cofnpatible vvith the ab1ation foffnulafion, and the bond iS cI1fed at a Ini1d1y elevated tefnpofafufe of a1 1ovved to cufe af foofI1 teInpofafufe.

The invention vvil1 be beftef undefStood ffon1 the fo1 1owing deScfiption fefeffing to the dfaWings in Which= FIGURE 1 is a Schematic iSoIneffic of a poftion of a Sheet of honeycoInb Inatefial pfepafed fof use in the pfoc esS of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a Schemafic isoIneffic of the honeycomb of FIGURE 1 in fuIther ste S of the rocess.

1n FIGIJRE 1, a Section of honeycon1b is Shown Which has been pfepafed to pfovide the Hexib1e heat shield of thiS invention. (:Uts, Such aS 10 and 1Z, in ce11 14, have been fnade in the vva11s of each ce1L The Width of the cuts dependS on the size of the honeycoInb fnatefial used. Fof exan1ple, in a honeycon1b having vvallS of about 0007 of 0.008 inch thick, cutS ffom 0.03 fo 0.08 inch Wide Inight be n1ade. 1t vvi11 be obsefved that if the poftion of the honeycon1b below the level of the cuts Were feInoved, a plufa1ify of diScontinuouS SegnlentS of YShaped plan conHgufation vvould feInain. The honeycomb fIlay be of a vafiety of Inatefia1S. AS a feStfiction, nlatefia1S Which aTe deStfoyed of vveakened fapidly When heated Would nof be SI1itable. An asbeStoS honeycon1b has been found SatiS factory; howevef, a pheno1ic-g1aSS honeycomb avai1ab1e ffoIn fIeXCeH PfoductS, Inc. of fiavfe 1)e Gface, 1/1(1., and identi0ed as IIRP1/4GF1ZS., haS been USed fof the moSt paft.

fIaving pfepafed the honeycomb Tnatefia1, Which Won1d ()fdinafily be in 1afge SheetS incofpofating hHndfeds of cens instead of the few ceHS shown in FIGURE l, an olastomefic Inatefia1 iS mixed.

In accofdance vvith the invention, a si1icone fobbef is l1Sed aS the basic ingfedient in ofdef fo pfovide f1exibi1ity to the heat Shie1d. A Suifab1e fofII1I11ation is pfepafed as fo11ovvS: to paftS by vveight of a 1iquid Silicone fubbef cofnpound (1T'v S60, available ffom the Si1icone Pfodncts 1)epaftnlent of (fenefa1 E1ecffio Company, at vVateffofd, I`I.Y.) iS added 0 fo 1S paftS of a di1uenf. A1thongh othef silicone nuid diluenfS Inay^a1so be USed, 96(50), ffoIT1 the sanle Soufce aS the 1Tv S60, haS been fonnd satiSfactofy. About 10 pafts of diluent fodnces the deSifed viscosity When 011efS afe a1so fo be incofPofated and/of foaIning iS to be peffofmed,

FfoIn 1 to 3 pafts of a fi11ef is then added to conp1ete the baSic fofmulation. Pafticu1afly good fesI11tS have been feceived ffom asbeSfos fibefS TheSe afe avaHable ffofn IohnS-ManviHe, Industfial InSulations Division, in Phi1a delphia. The fibefS inlpfove ablation peffoffnance by feinfofcing the chaf layef which fofn1S Undef the heat load.

The densify of the Shield can alSo be vafied depending upon the peffoffnance fequifed. A 1owef density iS achieved thfough foafning by adding a blovVing agent such as RTV 9Z1 to the basic fofffllllation, IT/ 921 iS available at the silicone PfoductS Iepaftn1ent of Genefal Electfic. The thefmal inSulation fo eftieS of the Shield afe in cfeased by foafning.

It nTay be deSifed to cufe at foom fempefatufe of a fempefatufe nTildly elevated ffofn an]bient Such aS 120 F. Fof this pufpose a catalySt such as StannonS octuate is added. About 0.5 paft of catalyst to 100 paftS of the Sili cone fubbef componnd is used. This cofnpound is avai able as Thefmolite lZ ffofn M&T ChefnicalS, Inc. of Rahway, NJ., of aS NuCufe 28 ffom the Nuodex PfoductS 1)ivision of the Heyden-Newpoft Chen1ical Cofpofation of EHZabeth,TIJ. Elevaffng the tefnpefatufe alSo feduces cufing tiIne.

To inSufe adhesion of the elaStomefic fnatefial to the honeycofnb, the honeycomb is fifSt washed and then coated vith a pfinlef Such as Genefal Electfic Company SS4004 of Dowcofning A4094,

Iaving Inixed the elaston1efic matefiaL the honeycomb ceHS afe filled with it. This can be peffofmed by poufing the elaStofT1efic foffnulation into the cellS, of, pfefefably, placing fhe fofnlulation in an open top ed pan and puSh ing the honeycofnb down into it until it covefS the honey comb.

Cufing of the elaStofnefic nlatefial at ambient tempefa fufe of at a fnildly elevated fenpefatufe iS then peffofnled.

Aftof cufing has beon accompHShod, tho honeycoInb fflatfix is in the condition indicated in paft A of FIGURE Z. The neXt sfep in pfepafation of the heat Shield fnatefial is fen1oval of eXceSS elastofnefic fnatefia1 ffom the uppef Sufface of the honeycofnb. ThiS fflay be accomplished by cI1tting of gfinding it off. Aftef thiS Step iS peffoffned, the honeycomb is in the condition Shovn in paft B of FI(}- IJRE 2. The neXt Step involveS cutting the honeycomb hoffzontany at of above the bottofn of the cutS in the cen wans. This, as shown in Paft C of FIGURE 2, leaves the honeycomb cell Wans discontinuous, and held togethef ony by the elastoInefic fnatefiaL Due to the elaStic chaf acefiStic of the elaStofnefic fnatefial, the fesulting foduct is highly eXible The thickneSS of the fesulting heat shield can be vafied accofding to the pfotection fequifed; Inany have been n1ade 0. inch thick, and shields up to 3 inches The fieXible heat Shield of thiS invenfion may be appHed to a Sffuctufe by fifst foughly cutting it to shape. AS an eXanlple conSidef a Sphefoidal Stfuctufe. In thiS case the heat Shield can be cut aS the covefing of a baseban of the casing of a basketbalL XK/hen the SUbStfuctufe to vVhich the heat Shield iS to be Secufed is metaL a pfimef is HfSt appHed to the Inetal foHoWed by a layef of ffom 0005 to 001S inch of RTV 560 to which haS been added about pefcent by weight of the T1Z catalySt. The pfinlef I1Sed Inay be Gonefal Electfic Company SS4004 of DowCofning A4094.

If the SubStfuctufe is plaStic, a seaef Such as (}enefaI Electfic Company SS40S6 iS uSed Which is fonoWed by the pfimef and ITv S60 as fof nletaI SubstfucUfeS ThoSe skined in the aft wiH be awafe of altefnate Ina tefials which can be used to offect a bond. In ofdef fo achieve the full advantageS of the nexible heat shield, it iS desifable to pfovide neXibility in the bond as vvelL The cut heat Shield iS appHed to the bond and ffimned to fit tightIy, The bond iS cufed at ambient of mHdly eleVated tefnpefatufe elin1inating the dangef of danlage 4 fo the stfuctufe it is deSigned fo pfotect, Af this tifne a gfinding tool can be used to sn1ooth the contoufs. In Sofne inStances it iS desifed to have the shield vafy in thickneSS. EXcesS matefial can be femoved by gfinding to achieve the thickneSSeS fequifed.

In use, it Win be found that the discontinuoos honey cofnb fnatfix peffofmS the function of fetaining chaffed ablation Inatefial aS the unbfoken honeycofnb doeS in cuf fent shieldS. The di ScofltinuouS natufe of the feinfofcing fnatfix of thiS invention, howevef, does not linlit of contfoI the neXibHity of the elastonlefic InatefiaL ConSequently, the shield can expand and conffact along With the vehicle Stfuctufe vvithout ffactufing.

vVhile a pafticulaf efnbodiment of a heat Shied and pfocesS fof fabficating it haS been iHustfated and de Scfibed, it wiH be obvious that changeS and modfficationS can be made Without depafting ffom the S )ifit of the invention and the scope of the appended claifnS.

vvhat is claimed as new and desifed to be Secufed by LetfefS Patent of the tJnfted StateS iS= 1. A HeXible heat Shield conlpfising= a nfatfix of honeycon1b ceHS, at least tWo waHs of each of Said honeycon1b n1atfiX ceHS being cut thfough, and

an ablation Inatefial contained in the cellS of Said honey comb.

2. A neXible heat Shield blanket cofn fiSing= a nlatfix of honeycomb cens,

at least tWo wans of each of Said ceHS being cut thfough,

and

a cufed silicone elastoInefic fnatefial contained in said cells.

3- A neXible heat shield blanket compfiSing:

a phenolic-glass fnatfiX of honeycofnb cenS, at least tWo waHs of each of Said honeycomb fflatfix ceHS being cut thfough,

a cL1fed Silicone elaston1efic fnatefial confained in the ceHS of Said honeyconb, and

Said blanket being less than thfee incheS thick,

4. A ffexible heat shield blanket compfiSing= a n1atfix of honeycofnb celIS,

the vanS of each celI being cut thfough to fofm a plufality of feinfofcing elementS,

a cufed Silicone elastomeffc matefial contained in said cell s, and

said blanket being leSS than thfee incheS thick.

5. The method of pfepafing a neXibIe heat Shield com pfising:

cutting at least two waHS of each ceH of a honeycomb sheet down at leaSt a diStance equivalent to the thfckness of the heat Shield fequifed,

filling the ceHS of said honeycomb sheet With a Silicone elastofnefic InatefiaL cufing Said SiHcone elastomefic fnateffal,

fen1oving any excesS Silicone elastonlefic fIlafefial ffom the fop of said honeycoInb sheet, and

cutting Said honeycoInb Sheet hofizontany at the desifed thickneSS.

6. The nlethod of pfepafing a nexible heat shield cofn pfiSing= cutting each Wal1 of each ceH of a honeycofnb sheet dovvn at leaSt a diStance equivalent to the thickneSS of the heat Shield fequifed leaving intact a poftion of the ceH wan,

filling each ceH of said honeycomb With a Silicone elaStomefic matefiaL cufing Said elasfon1efic InafefiaL fefnoving any eXcesS elastofnefic fnatefial ffom the fop of Said honeycomb sheet, and

cutting Said honeycofnb Sheet hofizontaHy at the deSifed thickneSS,

7. The fnethod of pfepafing a Hexfble heat shield cofn pfising= Selecting a Shee[ of honeycomb having a thickneSS gfeatof than that of the heat Shield desifed,

cutting each Wan of each ceH of Said honeycomb sheet down from one surface a distance at least e uivalent t() the thickneSS of the heat shield desifed leaving intact a ortion of the cen wal Washing and Timing Said honeycomb sheet,

Hing each ceH of Said honeycomb With a siHcone elaStomeTic InateTial,

curing said elaStoIneric Inaterial,

reInoving any eXcesS elastoInefiC n1ateria from said one surface of said honeyComb Sheet,

cutting said honeycomb Sheet horizontany a diStance below Said one Surface no greater than the de th of the cuts in the cell wans, and

ost curin the TeSultin heat shield,

ReferenceS Ced UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1949 1/19SO lZ/1957 9/1961 7/196Z Z/1963 10/196 Bacon 161-68 Rheinfrank 16169 vandeT Poe1 156 19() La ala 161-49 Adie 1611Z3 X Benanca et aL 161159 x Iun1n1er et al 

